Sponsors (25)
The bill expands no‑cost in‑network maternal mental health and SUD coverage, continuity of care, and telehealth access for pregnant and postpartum people, at the cost of higher insurer/employer expenses, limited protection for out‑of‑network care, and a two‑year implementation delay.
Pregnant and postpartum individuals get free in‑network mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) care from diagnosis through one year postpartum, removing direct financial barriers to treatment.
People who begin pregnancy‑related or mental health/SUD treatment keep access to continuing care after health plan changes due to extended continuity‑of‑care protections, reducing disruption of treatment.
Pregnant and postpartum patients (especially in rural or underserved areas) gain clearer guaranteed telehealth coverage with no in‑network cost sharing, increasing remote access to covered care.
Insurers and employers will face higher costs to cover free in‑network maternal mental health/SUD services, which could translate into higher premiums or reduced benefits for workers and taxpayers.
The policy has a two‑year delayed effective date, postponing relief for pregnant and postpartum individuals who need immediate access to cost‑free care.
The benefit applies only to in‑network providers, so people who rely on out‑of‑network clinicians (by choice or availability) may still face substantial out‑of‑pocket costs.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires group and individual health plans to eliminate in-network cost-sharing for mental health and SUD services for pregnant people from diagnosis through one year postpartum (two-year delayed start).
Introduced January 22, 2026 by Gwendolynne S. Moore · Last progress January 22, 2026
Prohibits any in-network cost-sharing for mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) services — including telehealth — for people from diagnosis of pregnancy through one year after the end of pregnancy, with a pro rata rule for partial enrollment. The rule applies to group and individual market health plans that cover mental health/SUD services and takes effect for plan years beginning two years after enactment. The bill also extends continuity-of-care protections to people receiving pregnancy-related treatment and to those who received mental health/SUD treatment while pregnant whose pregnancy ended within the prior year, and it adds parallel ERISA and Internal Revenue Code provisions to apply the requirement to employer-sponsored plans.